Accused Killer Charged With Harassment

Jason Michael Soler, who was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of Joey Levick before the verdict was tossed out, has been charged in King County Superior Court with harassing Levick's mother.

According to court documents, Melva Levick on Friday was leaving a 7-Eleven store in the 31200 block of First Avenue South in Federal Way when she heard someone walk up behind her and turned and saw Soler.

Soler, according to charging papers, pointed at her and threatened to kill her.

Levick called Federal Way police, and they contacted Soler, who said he had been at the convenience store but had not seen Levick.

Soler had been released on $250,000 bond while awaiting a new trial, and, as a condition of the release, was ordered not to have any contact with Levick.

In June 1994, Joey Levick, 21, allegedly was beaten by Soler and another acquaintance, Jason Twyman, then rolled into a drainage ditch, where he suffered for 13 hours before drowning.

Since his death, the Levick family has campaigned nationally for laws making it a crime to not come to the aid of someone at risk of dying. A television movie was based on the case, and in June, Melva Levick and her husband, Joseph, filed a wrongful-death suit against Soler, Twyman and three of their friends.

The Levicks alleged that the five knew Joey Levick was severely injured and could die unless he got help, and that they had instead acted to cover up the crime. Twyman, along with Soler, was convicted of second-degree murder.

Afterward, Superior Court Judge LeRoy McCullough ruled that during the closing arguments a deputy prosecutor had made an issue of Soler's decision not to testify. Court rules forbid prosecutors from using a defendant's right to silence against him.

Twyman, now serving a 25-year prison term, testified.

The King County Prosecutor's Office is asking $100,000 bail in the harassment case. Soler is to be arraigned Oct. 16.

Nancy Bartley's phone message number is 206-515-5039. Her e-mail address is: nbar-new@seatimes.com